Career Center

McLean School (mcleanschool.org) a K-12 co-educational independent school in Potomac, Maryland announces a search for a K-12 Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Social-Emotional Learning to begin August 2023. 

Changing the lives of students and families, McLean School provides a comprehensive and academically rigorous full-scope college preparatory school program for bright, college-bound students, including those with dyslexia, anxiety, and ADHD. For over 65 years, the School has helped students realize their full potential with a curriculum that is traditional without being rigid, challenging without being intimidating, and designed with the real world in mind.

McLean’s mission – and its unique Abilities Model® – embrace the idea that every one of us has a unique learning path waiting to be discovered and tended toward growth. McLean places students at the center of the content and structure of their education, deploys the skills of talented and expert teachers, provides a pedagogy that is both flexible in approach and academically rigorous, and delivers this to students in a supportive, inclusive culture that unlocks each student’s core potential. 

Bright, college-bound students with dyslexia, ADHD, academic performance anxiety, and executive functioning challenges thrive at McLean as their confidence and self-advocacy skills grow. Alongside them are more traditional learners who excel in smaller classes where they are challenged and grow through a student-centered view of learning. Together, these students are served by an amalgam of teaching models that reach students individually, enabling them to achieve impressive heights of learning. Students, in turn, share their strengths with one another, creating an inclusive and diverse community of learners who support and help each other grow. McLean students graduate as proud and capable learners, able to recognize and embrace their unique abilities, and advocate for what they need to learn, enabling them to find their way successfully in the world. 

As a core part of its holistic approach to student development, McLean School prioritizes the social-emotional well-being of students and commits to an environment of equity and inclusion. The Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Social-Emotional Learning will work with all three divisions to support the development, implementation, and coordination of social-emotional curricular elements including: diversity, equity, inclusion, service learning, healthy relationships, digital citizenship, climate justice, social justice, and mindfulness. As social-emotional wellness and the commitment to DEIJB are critical parts of McLean’s program, this Director will be a leader in enhancing instruction and learning, fostering cross-curricular growth, and promoting intra-divisional and intra-departmental connectivity. 

This is a new position for the right leader to help define. This Director will collaborate with the Assistant Head of School for Educational Programs, and the Director of Community Inclusion and External Relations, to provide leadership in developing, expanding, implementing, and coordinating programs that support the social and emotional needs of students. The Director will report directly to the Assistant Head of School for Educational Programs and serve on the School Administrative Team.

This position is an outgrowth of McLean’s Abilities Model®, which recognizes that the very things that may challenge students in the classroom are often the flip side of tremendous strengths. The School sees social-emotional learning, equity, and inclusion, as keys for students to feel connected and willing to engage fully in classes and with one another. 

The Director will work strategically throughout all aspects of the School. This includes enhancing the rich program that already exists in conjunction with Division Heads, engaging with the Director of Community Inclusion and External Relations to help on-board new students and make all community members feel valued, and working closely with the Administration and faculty to ensure students feel connected and identities fully represented.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Create and implement coordinated and age appropriate social-emotional learning in K-12.
• Enhance and deepen programming in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice across K-12 curriculum.
• Engage with key staff and faculty to assist in the implementation of social-emotional programming and work with Department Chairs to routinely review and update curriculum.
• Build and deepen the positive school climate and culture by building the capacity of faculty and staff to support social-emotional learning and the importance of equity and inclusion.
• Plan and lead periodic and ongoing professional development efforts, in collaboration with relevant administration and staff, to enhance the skill sets of faculty and staff.
• Demonstrate a passion and commitment to equity and justice.
• Continually identify and evaluate best practice research and resources for enhanced program development and implementation of social-emotional learning.
• Gather, analyze, and use data to inform decisions to develop and implement strategic, continuous, and actionable plans to improve programs and services, including an accountability tool to measure diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Serve as a resource for all members of community regarding social-emotional learning and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Promote an environment supportive of all identities through activities, training, supervision, and interpersonal communication to ensure a sense of belonging for all in the community.
• Collaborate with other Administrators to reinforce McLean’s Core Values and commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion across all areas of the School.
• Represent McLean at professional conferences and meetings on a local and national level. 

Qualifications and Experience

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including community building skills; 
• Demonstrated commitment to developing and advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice initiatives in an educational environment;
• Excellent relationship building skills to create networks and connections among various stakeholders (parents, faculty, staff, students, etc.), and across various areas and departments of the School; 
• Extensive experience in the facilitation of DEIJB-related workshops, professional development, and trainings;

• Excellent knowledge of child development, latest education theories and practices, and current trends in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in education and professional development;
• Background or experience in creating or augmenting curriculum to include objectives related to social-emotional programing or DEIJB.
• An educator who is kind, empathetic, fosters a love of learning, embodies a growth mindset, and is deeply committed to the development, advocacy, and care of children. 

McLean School is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, family responsibilities, disability, genetic status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you need a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the recruitment process, please contact Executive Support Manager, Robin Speller.

Interested applicants should fill out an online Application, and upload their cover letter, résumé, statement of educational philosophy, and list of references.